Bramley Seedling Apple ... do I need a polination partner for it ?

I want to plant a Bramley Seedling tree on my new allotment. Cooking apples are always expensive to buy and as a kid, I remember this type of tree doing very well indeed.

I notice that is is classed as sterile, so I would, in theory need another tree to go with it.

However, there are several apple trees dotted around the allotment site .. would I be OK with a single tree ... or would I be wise to buy a pollinator for it. if so, which one.

My parents had a Laxton's Superb, in their garden which was bought at the same time as the Bramley, but I don't ever remember it ever producing any apples of value ... unlike the Bramley, which always cropped very well. Mum's apple crumble was always a favourite of both my father and myself.

thanks for any advice.

 

It does need a pollinator, actually it needs two. It is what is known as a triploid. Its pollen is sterile so cannot pollinate other trees. If there are Apple trees within a bees flight then you are ok.

 

Laxton's Superb flowers later than the Bramley.

There's quite a few mid season flowering partners you could have, a few of them are Katy, Coxe's Orange Pipin & James Grieve.

 

I thoroughly checked out all the pollinators required for a Bramley and found I already had five of them. Unfortunately the 'Bramley' I bought from Aldi was nothing like a Bramley but some completely different eating apple.

 

I've got a Bramley on the allotment, it fruits ok.
The others I have are Fiesta, Authur Turner, and one I'm not sure about?

 

"Aldi's Trackside Wildling Seedling Unimproved."

 

It died this year

 

Still shop at Aldi ?

 

Yes, I bought another Bramley even cheaper than the first one - a real bargain!

 

Is my understanding correct on this point?

The Bramley will only need one pollinating partner, but the Bramley won't be able to pollinate anything, including the pollinating partner, hence a third variety is typically planted and both the non-Bramley trees can pollinate each other (and either can pollinate the Bramley) - is that right?

Thus the pollinating partner can also be a self-pollinating variety, or a crab apple (which tend to make good pollinating partners as they have a longer flowering period)

If you want to find what can pollinate a Bramley then this site might help:
http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/pollinationchecker.aspx

 

Yes

Key thing is they all got to flower at the same time

 

Thanks Zigs. I have all my Apple trees on an Espalier, planting in flowering-date-order, with a carb apple at each end. Hopefully got it covered